Growing early tomatoes brings good income to farmers; summer residents have the opportunity not only to enjoy the aromatic fruits, but also to seal them in jars for the winter, prepare juice and ketchup. Among the numerous varieties of tomatoes, the number of which increases every year, some owners of suburban areas and summer cottages choose the Orange Cap. These tomatoes grow well in the garden; low bushes fit in a tub and bear fruit on the balcony and loggia.
Characteristics of the variety
Stem standard tomato has a height of no more than half a meter. Several brushes are formed on it at once.The roots of miniature compact tomatoes do not go deep, but grow in different directions and are poorly developed. The leaves are dark green in color and slightly curled. Tomato bushes do not need to be tied to a support and formed; there is no need to remove stepsons, which makes care much easier.
The Orange Cap variety can be grown on the balcony; in winter, the fruits ripen in the room in normal light. The first inflorescences form above the fifth leaf.
Mini tomatoes ripen 80 days after sprouting. The standard plant is rarely affected by:
- infectious wilt;
- root rot;
- tobacco mosaic.
Fusarium blight, caused by fungi, does not pose a danger to the Orange Cap tomato. By the time other varieties are affected by this disease, tomatoes are already ripening on neat bushes. Up to 1.5–2 kg of tomatoes are usually harvested from a square piece of land.
Appearance, advantages of the variety
Each branch of the Orange Cap bears 6 or even 7 fruits, which contain lycopene, which serves as a natural antioxidant. Tomatoes are rich in vitamins, carotene, and microelements, the lack of which leads to various diseases.
One tomato weighs only 30 g and is distinguished by:
- rounded shape;
- shiny and dense skin;
- juicy pulp;
- orange color.
The sweet and sour fruits do not cause allergies, are used to make tomato paste, and look original in jars. After freezing and heat treatment, the beneficial components in the fruits do not disappear. The disadvantages of tomatoes include:
- short shelf life;
- low yield;
- cracking with temperature changes.
Fruits are difficult to transport over long distances; they wrinkle and lose their shape.Orange cap also has important advantages over other tomato varieties. The plant is resistant to diseases, tomatoes ripen early, have excellent taste and original color.
How to plant and care?
In the southern regions, Orange Cap is grown in beds and vegetable gardens, in the rest - in greenhouses, on balconies, and enclosed loggias. At the end of March, seeds for seedlings are buried 3 cm into the prepared soil, but first they are disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate. The soil is watered, the containers are covered with plastic film, which is immediately removed when sprouts appear. Picking is done when the first two leaves are formed.
If tomatoes are grown in the garden, the seedlings are hardened off. The bushes are placed at a distance of up to 40 cm, with 70 cm between rows. The Orange Cap variety bears fruit well on loose and light soils, where the following were previously grown:
- carrots and beets;
- cabbage and cucumbers;
- beans and onions.
The bushes are watered at the root once or twice a week, and fed three times a season with mineral and organic fertilizers. Tomatoes react well to urea. The soil around the bushes needs to be loosened so that a crust does not form. Tomato plantings are sprayed with fungicides, which helps prevent pest invasion and the development of diseases.
